Jeow Som (Lao Dipping Sauce)
Jeow Som (Lao Dipping Sauce)
Ingredients
For the Jeow Som
- 4 garlic, cloves
- 1 ounce ginger, knob, peeled
- 3 Thai chili, fresh
- 3 dried Thai chili
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG, or to taste
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
- as needed water, optional, to thin
Instructions
- 1
Place the garlic cloves, peeled ginger knob, fresh Thai chilies, and dried Thai chilies into a mortar.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Using a pestle, pound the ingredients vigorously until they form a coarse paste. Ensure all chilies and aromatics are well broken down.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Add the granulated sugar to the paste in the mortar.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice directly into the mortar, ensuring no seeds fall in.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Add the MSG to the mixture in the mortar.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Measure and add the fish sauce to the mortar.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Using a spoon, stir all the ingredients in the mortar thoroughly to combine them. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Stir in the chopped cilantro.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Taste the Jeow Som and adjust seasonings as desired. The sauce should have a balanced profile of spicy, sour, and a savory kick. Add more lime for sourness, sugar for sweetness, or fish sauce for saltiness/umami.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
If a thinner consistency is desired, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring until the preferred consistency is reached.
- 11
Serve the Jeow Som immediately as a dipping sauce for grilled meats like steak or chicken, or with seafood.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Jeow Som (Lao Dipping Sauce)
For the Jeow Som
- 4 garlic, cloves
- 1 ounce ginger, knob, peeled
- 3 Thai chili, fresh
- 3 dried Thai chili
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG, or to taste
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
- as needed water, optional, to thin
Instructions
- 1
Place the garlic cloves, peeled ginger knob, fresh Thai chilies, and dried Thai chilies into a mortar.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Using a pestle, pound the ingredients vigorously until they form a coarse paste. Ensure all chilies and aromatics are well broken down.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Add the granulated sugar to the paste in the mortar.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice directly into the mortar, ensuring no seeds fall in.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Add the MSG to the mixture in the mortar.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Measure and add the fish sauce to the mortar.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Using a spoon, stir all the ingredients in the mortar thoroughly to combine them. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Stir in the chopped cilantro.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Taste the Jeow Som and adjust seasonings as desired. The sauce should have a balanced profile of spicy, sour, and a savory kick. Add more lime for sourness, sugar for sweetness, or fish sauce for saltiness/umami.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
If a thinner consistency is desired, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring until the preferred consistency is reached.
- 11
Serve the Jeow Som immediately as a dipping sauce for grilled meats like steak or chicken, or with seafood.